Staying at home is the new normal, and will be for some time. You’re probably already tired of hearing that. But whether you think about it in a positive or negative way, things are changing, and fast.
As the saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention,” and never has that been more true than in times like these. When the world undergoes a massive overhaul; when players new and old step up to the plate to meet the demands of a new age.
Take, for example, livestreaming platform #BeApp which launched in March and has already partnered with Coca-Cola. Donations made to COVID-19 support efforts will be matched by Coca-Cola, up to $3M.
In this list, you’ll find more ways to keep yourself and your family entertained with no more than a mobile device and an internet connection.
Check out part 1 here for more ideas!
For a Taste of the Classics
Monopoly, The Game of Life, and Battleship
Who doesn’t love Hasbro board games?
Although these aren’t free like some of asmodee’s classic board games, they’re ingrained in the childhoods (or adulthoods) of just about anyone you know. Whether you have the boxed games or one of a multitude of mobile apps available, Hasbro games are sure to be a fun time for everyone!
Jigsaw Puzzles
You can never go wrong with putting together a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle; unless you lose a piece, that is. But this classic is a fun way to while away the hours and allow your mind to focus and de-stress. You can challenge yourself in different ways, too! For example, complete the picture and start again, time yourself, try different strategies, or assemble the puzzle blindfolded. The possibilities are (almost) endless!
For Your Next Travel Destination
Inside the Palace Walls
Part 1 had Google Street View and Google Earth to help you tour the world’s famous landmarks. But what about somewhere a bit grander? Step this way to enter the famous halls of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Windsor Castle, and Buckingham Palace.
Have other travel destinations in mind? Insider made a list of other palaces open for virtual tours.
Can You Go the Distance?
Or maybe you really want to get back to nature. How about visiting the Appalachian Mountains? With the Walk the Distance app, you can even follow the trail from your living room. No? What about Yellowstone Park? Or maybe a walk around London? Walk the Distance lets you follow popular walking and hiking trails around the world. You’ll even see checkpoints on your app as you cover more ground. Best of all, you can do your virtual hike with other people!
For Centering Yourself
Have a Greener Home
Although the oft-touted air cleaning quality of plants may not be as real as you think, there is no doubt it has a positive effect on human health.
For example, shinrin-yoku or forest bathing is a popular way to de-stress for city-goers. While traveling is not advisable at the moment, it’s still possible to bring a bit of nature into your home. Try to order plants online or pick some up during your next grocery run. Your future self will thank you.
An Exercise in Staying Home
Finding the motivation to exercise is hard when your routine gets thrown out the window. The new normal of stay-at-home will definitely continue for some time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t keep fit and get your exercise in from the comfort of your own home. You don’t even need equipment! Check out our article about gym alternatives to find out what you can do to keep fit, happy, and healthy at home.
Learn to Loosen Up (Literally)
Yoga is a popular de-stressing activity for a reason. Through breathing and stretching exercises, practitioners find their center and loosen the tight knots in their bodies. Yogic exercises not only help open up your mind, but they also help relieve chronic pain. Say goodbye to stiff neck and back pains!
We’re Not Really Strangers
It’s always important to step back and re-evaluate where you are and who you are. It helps you see yourself clearer and know yourself better. We’re Not Really Strangers is a game designed for self-reflection and developing deeper friendships.
Why not hit up a stranger in your life today? Isn’t it about time you caught up with each other over coffee? You can buy the card game online or download their 20-question Quarantine Edition for free.
Podcast While You Work
Doing chores can be, well, a chore … But housework while listening to your favorite hosts? That’s time well-spent right there! Don’t have a podcast you listen to? Check out ours.
Level 11 Origami Cicada
Maybe classic 1,000 piece jigsaws aren’t the puzzles to tease your brain. Have you ever tried origami? Scientist and origami master Robert J. Lang lays out just how complex the art of paper folding can be. You can find a gallery of his creations on his website. And if you fancy trying them out for yourself, you can follow links to paid publications that include his works.
Air Dry Clay Sculptures
Maybe origami isn’t your thing. Then how about air dry clay sculptures? They’re fun, colorful, and definitely a lot easier than making a realistic cicada with paper.
If you’re still not convinced, check out some masterpieces by this Korean artist who regularly posts Pokemon clay sculpture videos.
For Self-Improvement
Elevate Your Frame of Mind (Android | iOS)
Your mind is your greatest tool, and like any tool, you need to keep it sharp. Elevate is an app that focuses on five core areas: Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking, and Math. The app trains you to do these things better and faster by providing you with simple timed exercises. There’s only one way to go from here, and that’s up!
Lumosity (Android | iOS)
Another brain training app you can try is the more science-based Lumosity. It covers similar topics as Elevate, but also helps you to improve abilities like Memory and Attention.
A Brilliant Way to Think (Android | iOS)
Like Master Yoda said, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” With Brilliant.org, you can learn new subjects and concepts by engaging with them head-on. Pass or fail, you always come out the winner! Would-be mind-boggling subjects like logic and physics are made simple and digestible in short quizzes that teach you how to think the right way! You might just find that rocket science isn’t all that after all.
Be Curious (Android | iOS)
Satisfying our curiosity is rewarding in the same way that eating is. Curiosity banks on this fact by asking you to choose which subjects interest you and bringing you closer to them. Information is delivered through audio and video lessons much like a prerecorded lesson would be. Don’t forget to stop by the Curio Cabinet for bite-sized facts and other curiosities.
Take a CrashCourse
Created by VidCon founders, Hank and John Green, CrashCourse offers courses on a wide variety of subjects on its YouTube channel, from world history to mythology to psychology. Each subject is covered over a number of videos full of fun animations and taught by an even more animated host that are sure to get any man, woman, or child interested in studying all over again.
“Stay Curious.”
CuriosityStream is full of award-winning science documentaries and original content to help keep your noggin running. At $2.99/month, you and your family get quality education AND entertainment for less than half the price of a Netflix account.
The Great Courses Plus
Have you ever wanted to become a sommelier? Or maybe you just want to understand how magic works. The Great Courses Plus offers an extensive library of video lectures, documentaries, and mini-series. Sound familiar? It should because they also offer choice selections straight out of History and National Geographic.
So sign-up and sink into your couch for a week of the best and most unique things humanity has to offer.
Learn a New Skill
Now more than ever, having tech-related skills is a boon. If you’re looking to learn coding, then sign-up at freecodecamp.org.
freeCodeCamp defines itself as “a nonprofit community that helps you learn to code by building projects.” A portfolio is important to prospective programmers and with freecodecamp.org, you build both your skills and your value as a coder. And if you’re looking for more advanced or new skills, freecodecamp.org also has a lot of helpful resources in their news section. Happy coding!
Find a Class on Class Central
Want to take an online course but can’t find what you need? Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) search engine Class Central’s founder, Dhawal Shah, compiled a list of 450 online courses from Ivy League universities that you can look through, some of which might just help you boost the training you get at freeCodeCamp.
Rediscover Old Hobbies
Low motivation to do things lately? Why not revisit an old hobby? Try to look at it from a different angle and rethink all the possibilities. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the next person to solve an impossible puzzle, like the anonymous 4chan user who solved the problem of superpermutations, or what is now dubbed “The Haruhi Problem.”
To put it short, another user wanted to watch all 14 episodes of the cult classic anime The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya in all possible orders in the shortest time possible. The answer, by the way is, “at least 93,884,313,611 episodes.”
Enter the Public Domain (of Books)
Children should read more. We should read more. Public domain books aren’t the latest titles in stores, but among this umbrella are classics like Treasure Island and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Online libraries like Project Gutenberg even have translated versions, as well as books written in other languages.
If you’re a bit picky with formatting, Standard Ebooks has made it their mission to polish the content uploaded to Project Gutenberg. And if you’re in the mood for a bit of digging, you can browse through Internet Archive’s massive library of media.
How are you and your family staying busy? What’s your way of having fun at home? Let us know down in the comments!
Featured image by Katrin Hauf on Unsplash
Other images are screenshots of their respective websites
